It's a family secret

she claimed..when my friend asked the host the recipe of a paneer dish she had at her place. It made me laugh..coz my bud told me the host was a keralite ..so i seriously doubt the recipe was handed down generation to generation..a punjabi..kashmiri...even u.p'ite i would perhaps believe it...and secondly..c'mon people..what is the harm in sharing?? I understand if you have a catering business or a restaurant business where you do not want to divulge the secret...but for a home cook to do that in my opinion is plain rude. My buddy was pretty miffed..esp. when the host had written down recipes of bisibela-baath and some more kannadiga recipes from her...but when it came to share her recipe..turned her down.

I have noticed this trend here in America..not sure if it is caught-up elsewhere...but growing up in India i recall..we would force our mother to get geeta maami's rawa idly recipe...or anjali aunty's chole-bhature recipe..coz we loved it so..and those aunties would share it so lovingly...actually sending in some the next time they make it!. I see 'family' recipes and other authentic recipes shared by so many bloggers with pictures and ever ready to answer your questions..so what is with some people who are keeping their family secrets for food?? I am fed-up with people claiming family secret pasta sauce..family secret chilli..family secret god-knows-what!! get over it guys!! share it...you are anyway not making a buck with selling ur food..why not share the recipe and share the love of food with friends.

I remember...one of my co-workers...who would talk a lot of her pasta sauce recipe..spilled the beans..after an evening in the bar. The amazing secret was just a ridiculous step in making the sauce!!..i laughed so hard when i heard it..coz i was expecting it to be something exotic or some technique i had no idea about. When you see food network..half the channel is talking about family secret recipe..while we have the other half claiming to us that they are spilling their family secret recipe..and i see the recipe with full concentration instead of the usual half my mind on the book i am reading...only to get short-changed on the recipe..the secret is nothing to write home about!!...as usual i have been made a dummy :D

Keep that pooch on a leash...

and make sure the freakin leash is not too long. I am fed up by the way dogs have taken over the side walks and parks around me...where they seem to rule the roost and people like me..who are nervous of them..are left walking on main roads or peeping into parks to make sure there is no dog in there and scrambling out the minute they arrive. Why do these owners..remove the leash and let the dog run 'loose'!!..don't they have a yard in their home..or go to an empty space up-north and play catch with your pet. Don't come to a park and make the walking/jogging experience for the rest of us sheer hell.

Anyone who remotely knows me..knows i hate to walk. But off-late in my quest to lose the chub...i have been jogging and walking...depends on mood and stamina. So...i go to this small park near my home..i really like it...it is completely wooded...cool and quiet..then just a few days back i see a couple coming in with their monster of a dog. The let the doggy loose and concentrate on themselves!..and the mutt is running amuck...chasing squirrels..running after people and sniffing little kids. Luckily..i was just near the entrance of the park and took a quick exit. If that is not inconsideration..pray tell me what is! Then there are the other folks..who have a pet on a leash sooooo long..that the dog can walk nearly a block before you!!...this dog barks at humans..snarls at other doggies and poops and pisses where it wants..and the darling dog owner is soo busy on the phone..that she decides to give the shit cleaning a go...after all she thinks...it is bio-degradable..yuck!!...i have seen people just ignoring to pick up the poop..unless they realise there are people observing them...even then it is a half ass attempt...sic

Another thing which can irritate me is when the pooch owner tells you...'he is really sweet you know..he cannot harm even a bird'...uuhhh...all this when the dog has his nose up your ass...and you squeal...yep! i squeal like a little girl..i am basically very very jumpy by nature. Anyhoo...i really do not care if the dog can harm a bird or eat a cat..but get them off me..i really think it is so rude. It is their way of being friendly the pet owner claims...umm...i don't want to be friends...keep him/her at your place and let me be!!

So guys...if you have a dog..please show some consideration for the rest of us...and hold on tight to them...and no..all of us are not in love with your puffy face or cuddle bun!!